


imitating life

by torigates



Category: Dawson's Creek
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 12:03:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/pseuds/torigates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Dawson’s show premiered, Pacey almost couldn’t believe how quickly it became a hit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	imitating life

  
After Dawson’s show premiered, Pacey almost couldn’t believe how quickly it became a hit. He and Joey snuggled up on their couch every week to see Colby and Petey fight over Sam. They were addicted.

“I don’t get how you guys watch that show,” Jack commented one day when he and Doug were over for dinner. “I mean, I get you want to support Dawson, but that show is _literally_ about you at sixteen. I barely want to remember myself at sixteen, let alone watch a television show dedicated to my neurosis. Isn’t it incredibly painful and embarrassing to watch?”

Joey and Pacey shared a look and shrugged their shoulders. “First of all,” Pacey said, his hand extended, pointing at Jack. “They’re Dawson’s neurosis, not ours. And second, it’s not that bad,” he finished.

“There are some differences between the show and real life,” Joey added.

Doug and Jack comically crossed their arms in unison. Pacey was pretty sure they didn’t know they were doing it. “Like what?” Jack asked.

“Uh,” Joey opened her mouth but nothing came out.

“For one,” Pacey cut in, coming to her defence, “Colby and Petey work at a grocery store. Dawson and I worked at a video store.”

“Uh huh,” Jack said.

“And Sam lives with her older brother,” Joey said, finally thinking of something.

“Right,” Doug said.

Joey and Pacey seemed pleased.

“Oh come _on_ ,” Jack said. “It’s about three best friends, two of which live across the creek from each other. Colby and Petey are in love with Sam. This isn’t ringing any bells?”

They just shrugged. Doug and Jack let the topic drop, and the conversation moved on to other things.

But Pacey couldn’t stop thinking about it. After Jack and Doug were gone, he kept hearing their words in his head, asking him how he could watch a show that was basically another man’s love letter to his girlfriend. And after a while, he had to admit they had a point.

This was when Pacey did something he never, ever, _ever_ should have done.

He went on the internet.

It was absolute madness. He stumbled onto some kind of fan forum, and the debates these people were having over whether or not Sam should be with Colby or Petey were out of control. Colby was too whiney, pretentious, self-absorbed for her. Petey was too dumb, not good enough.

That one stung. Even all these years later.

“What are you doing?”

Joey was wearing a long t-shirt, and her hair was messy, as she’d clearly just gotten out of bed. She came up behind him and put her chin on the top of his head, her arm wrapping around his shoulders.

“Nothing,” Pacey said quickly.

“What is that?” she asked, batting his hand away, when he tried to minimize the browser. “Are you reading about _The Creek_?”

Pacey swung around in his computer chair so he was facing her, and pulled her down into his lap. “Maybe,” he admitted.

“Why?” she asked. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the nose.

“It was Jack and Doug,” he admitted. “They got to me.”

She hugged him tighter, and rubbed his back. “Don’t listen to them.”

She was right. Pacey knew she was right, because well, Joey was always right. But even if that weren’t the case, she would still be right about this, because what they had together finally, finally was working perfectly. It didn’t matter what Doug, or Jack, or Dawson, or millions of strangers on the internet thought about his relationship. It only mattered what he and Joey thought.

“What are you reading?” she asked after a long moment, the two of them sitting in the dark, Pacey’s arms around her waist.

“Just about us,” he said, and turned back to the computer screen. Joey put her chin on his shoulder, and started reading over his shoulder. “Or Colby, Petey and Sam,” he clarified.

She put her hands on his shoulders. “Pacey, come on. They’re not us.”

“They’re us.” He turned to face her again. The look on her face was equally sad and sympathetic. He looked away.

“They’re not,” she said. “They’re based on us, sure, but they’re not us.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Pace,” she said, and he had to look at her when she said his name like that. “Petey and Sam? They’ve got nothing, _nothing_ on us.” She put her hands on his face, and the look in her eyes was so honest, and sincere, and full of love, that he had to grin.

He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. “Of course. Of course.” He chuckled a little.

“Now can you come to bed and forget about what Jack and your brother said?”

“I’m sure you could persuade me,” he told her.

She grinned. 


End file.
